During commissioning of structures such as industrial buildings a multitude of appliances need installation and configuration. Typical appliances include, but are not limited to, installations for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, lights, awnings, and/or control devices therefore. A functional computer network is often not available when such appliances need be configured. A common workaround solution harnesses adapters for Powerline Communication. Network connections for the above appliances are thus established via Powerline Communication.
Systems for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) combine networking and (direct current) distribution of electric power. Applicable IEEE 802.3ax and other (standards cover distribution of up to 25.5 Watts of power. Higher amounts of power such as 51 Watts, 71 Watts, and/or 90 Watts are envisaged thereby enabling a plethora of potential uses. For these reasons new structures such as newly constructed commercial and/or industrial buildings often provide Power-over-Ethernet systems.
Common CAT-5(e) and/or CAT-6 and/or CAT-7 cables rely on four pairs of twisted copper wires. Various approaches exist for transmission of power over such cables. A first approach known as alternative A harnesses two out of four pairs for power transmission. The same wires are used for power transmission and for network traffic. A second approach relies on separate wires for power transmission and for network traffic. The latter approach is commonly referred to as alternative B. Power-over-Ethernet systems typically rely on ports such as registered jacks for interfacing with a PoE network. An appliance may, by way of non-limiting example, connect to a Power-over-Ethernet network via a type RJ45 registered jack. Rugged types of such jacks are available for harsh environments.
Systems for Powerline Communication (PLC) also combine networking and (alternating current) distribution of electric power. They do so by adding a modulated carrier signal to the ordinary 50 Hz or 60 Hz power signal. The frequency of the carrier signal is typically chosen so as to avoid interference with the ordinary 50 Hz or 60 Hz power signal. Also, the bandwidth of data transmission is chosen to be commensurate with attenuation along power lines and with specified data rates. Systems for Powerline Communication typically rely on ports such as PLC adapters to connect to a PLC network. Powerline Communication adapters plug into electric outlets to connect to a PLC network.
The European patent application EP3128679A1 was filed on 10 May 2016 and was published on 8 Feb. 2017. EP3128679A1 teaches a coupler for Powerline Communication and Power-over-Ethernet. The disclosure of EP3128679A1 allows multiple Power-over-Ethernet nodes coupled to a Powerline Communication bus. EP3128679A1 does not teach a network switch with routing functionality.
The patent application Ser. No. 13/211,187 was filed on 16 Aug. 2011 and was published as US2013/0044827A1 on 21 Feb. 2013. US2013/0044827A1 deals with communications via power line and with a hardware implementation. To that end, US2013/0044827A1 teaches a system 100 with a power supply 110, with a power line 112, and with a load 118. US2013/0044827A1 envisages that power line 112 comprises a network cable such as a CAT-6 Ethernet cable. The system 100 may, in particular, form a portion of a Power-over-Ethernet distribution system.